Continental’s patent describes a vehicle audio system processing unit featuring two processing nodes and a program memory. The system allows for seamless handover of audio output computation between nodes, enabling continuous audio playback by alternately overwriting two memory areas. GlobalData’s report on Continental gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Continental, Anti-skid tyre treads was a key innovation area identified from patents. Continental's grant share as of June 2024 was 51%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Audio processing unit for vehicle audio systems
The granted patent US12047759B2 describes a processing unit designed for audio systems in vehicles, featuring a dual-node architecture that enhances audio output management. The system includes a first and a second processing node, both capable of writing to a shared program memory. Upon startup, the first processing node computes and stores audio output in the program memory. A key aspect of the design is the seamless handover of audio output computation from the first to the second processing node, which occurs when the first node has filled the program memory to a specified threshold and the second node is ready to operate. The program memory is divided into two areas, allowing the system to alternate between them for continuous audio output without interruption.
Additionally, the processing unit incorporates a third memory area to track the exact playback position of audio files, facilitating a smooth transition during the handover process. An interrupt signal from the first processing node indicates when the memory areas have reached their predefined limits, prompting the second processing node to take over audio output. This design ensures that the size of the memory areas corresponds to the audio output duration, which is longer than the time required for the handover, thereby maintaining uninterrupted audio playback. The patent outlines a sophisticated approach to audio processing in vehicles, emphasizing efficiency and continuity in audio output management.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
